Return to reality

We just made the drive back from the beach to the desert.  The temperature went up by 40 degrees from when we left the beach to when we arrived at our doorstep in the middle of the hot afternoon. My grass is brown and my plants look bedraggled.

Just about everyone I know is already retired.  But we both want to hang on as long as we can because we love what we do for a living and I have the ability to work from anywhere.  So why hang it up?  I had a little office set up in the condo we rent and I had a view of the Glorietta Bay and the boat docks.  I saw fireworks every night from at least two locations and sometimes three, if the Padres were in town.  I love fireworks.

Here is the problem.  I have to go back to AZ sometime.  Clients want to actually see me and of course my dogs want to see me, and I have about a zillion projects going that need to be tended to at home --- so return to reality happens right now.

I have much to look forward to:

• My first photography class-this Saturday!!

• Broadway shows with my friend

• Home staging 
• Cleaning out my garage
• Planning another "Epic" garage sale
• Getting my garden back in line.... it needs a little love right now.  It misses me.
• Fall decorating.  I have been watching some of my favorite bloggers and they have been talking and showing Fall decorating all month.  It is still over 100 degrees in AZ so I could not have done it even if I would have been home.  The neighbors would have laughed me out of the neighborhood.  I think they may do that anyway when I start decorating in September.  I usually leave the outdoor decorating  on the front patio for last so they can't see what I am up to.
• A few fall projects, including the book painting project and the burlap book covering project.  All ideas from Yvonne at Stonegableblog.com.

Kit unassembled.

Kit pieces

Kit Before

I finished  a Halloween project while I was on my retreat.  It was a kit and I changed it up a bit but I will freely admit that the kits made by this company are fabulous and I basically just follow their clear instructions.  If you want to make a book to chronicle your memories,  take a look at "Button Farm".  Their choice of materials and instructions are awesome.  Anyone can make a successful project.  I am planning to fill this book with pics of the G kids in their Halloween costumes.

Inside front cover and page 1

All of the following pics are interior pages of the Halloween Kit, completed.

Nine to Five- Dolly Parton.......
"Tumble outta bed and I stumble to the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
Yawn and stretch and try to come to life
Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumpin'
Out on the street the traffic starts jumpin'
With folks like me on the job from 9 to 5"

Coming Soon:

• Ya-Ya goes back to class
• The Birthday Club
• The Kitchen Remodel-start to finish
• Online shopping on the cheap
• The Garage
• Wicked or Phantom

Enjoy your day and make sure you have started choosing the Halloween costumes with the kids.  http://yayashouseaz.blogspot.com/2016/08/a-halloween-tradition-you-need-to-get.html
and collecting the books for the Christmas book project
http://yayashouseaz.blogspot.com/2016/08/twas-night-before-christmas-really-it.html
You will be happy you started early.

Love, Ya-Ya